Top 10 Reasons Why Pittsburgh is Better Than Philadelphia

If you’ve spent any time on Penn State’s campus, you’ve probably witnessed a Philly/Pittsburgh argument. It’s the most pervasive rivalry on campus, with a tremendous amount of pride instilled in the fans of each city. Thousands of current and former students hail from each respective city. But which is the best? Only a top 10 list can decide.

10. Pittsburgh is a safer city

There’s a reason “Killadelphia” is a nickname for Philly; it’s not exactly the safest city in the world. The city averages 50.7 crimes per 1000 residents, and is the 18th most dangerous city in the US according to this Yahoo! article. Pittsburgh is nowhere to be found in that article, and averages a mediocre (yet still better than Philly) crime rate of 42.3 crimes per 1000 residents. Clearly, if you value your safety, Pittsburgh is the place to be.

9. Primanti’s sandwich > Cheesesteak

I’ll be the first to admit that cheesesteaks are delicious. However, they really lack the innovation that the Primanti’s sandwiches bring to the table. Seriously, fries and coleslaw on a sandwich may sound disgusting, but it totally works. It’s like having a full meal right between two pieces of bread, since the two sides are already on the sandwich.

8. Pittsburgh’s statues represent real people

Honestly, it’s a little weird that the most famous statue in Philly is of some fake boxer. While Rocky Balboa did have an illustrious career, the fact that there’s a statue immortalizing him and his fake career in the city is a little odd.

7. Pittsburgh has the best ballpark in the MLB

Even though the Pirates might not be the best, Nate Silver determined (based on Yelp ratings) that PNC Park is the best stadium in baseball. And what’s not to like? The stadium offers a great view of the city, and the atmosphere is great. Meanwhile, Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park doesn’t even rank in the top five (it’s 6th). And speaking of stadiums…

6. There’s no jail in Heinz Field

Within the first few years of its existence, Lincoln Financial Field in Philly actually had four jail cells to hold unruly fans. Sure, they took the jail cells out after they determined that they weren’t needed/got bad press, but the fact that they were in the original design only reflects poorly on the already horrible reputation of Philly sports fans.

5. Pittsburgh has Dan Rooney

Not only was this guy the owner of the Steelers from 1975 to 2002, but he also instituted the “Rooney Rule,” which requires NFL teams to interview at least one minority candidate whenever there’s a head coaching vacancy. Oh, and did I mention that he was the US Ambassador to Ireland from 2009-2012? Mr. Rooney is a class act and has done a lot for the city of Pittsburgh. You don’t see any of this leadership from team owners in Philadelphia.

4. Pittsburgh has more sports championships in the last 30 years

In the last 30 years, Pittsburgh has amassed five championships while Philly has only won two. I’ll let the numbers do the talking for this one.

3. Heinz is headquartered in Pittsburgh

Really, where would the world (including Philadelphia) be today without ketchup? It’s a fantastic condiment, and it compliments a lot of different foods. I don’t want to say that it’s God’s gift to condiments, but I’d rather not imagine a world where Heinz ketchup isn’t available. It’s definitely one of Pittsburgh’s finer contributions to society, and something that Philadelphia can’t match.

2. Pittsburgh is cleaner

As surprising as this is, it’s true. Pittsburgh has been moving in the right direction with respect to air quality, while Philadelphia still has problems with this issue. Hey, it’s not nicknamed ‘Filthadelphia’ for no reason.

1. Pittsburgh was ranked a better place to live

According to a Businessweek article, Pittsburgh was ranked as the 11th best city in the US. Philadelphia, on the other hand, was ranked the 24th best. To put things in perspective, Oklahoma City was ranked 23rd. It has to be unsettling for Philadelphia residents knowing that some city in the middle of nowhere was ranked higher.

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About the Author

Greg is a senior majoring in energy engineering at Penn State. He is a big fan of Pittsburgh sports and sandwiches with coleslaw and french fries. You can email him at [email protected] or find him at the Phyrst drunkenly requesting the band to play "One Headlight."

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